George Russell delivered a commanding performance in the opening practice session at the new Madring circuit, securing the fastest time ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli on Friday morning in Madrid.
The British driver's lap of 1:34.620 proved decisive, with Russell finishing 0.286 seconds clear of Antonelli in what represented an important response after losing out to the championship leader at Monza last weekend. Mercedes appeared to have found the right setup early, running the softer compound tyres to establish their advantage on the 5.4-kilometre, 22-turn layout.
Ferrari showed competitive pace from the outset, though their early efforts on the medium compound left them roughly half a second adrift of the Mercedes benchmark. Charles Leclerc, who has been cleared to race despite suffering blurred vision following his substantial crash at Monza, eventually improved significantly when switching to the softer tyres to secure third position.
The session proved problematic for Lewis Hamilton, whose best lap remained on the medium compound. More significantly, the seven-time world champion faced repeated criticism from fellow competitors for impeding their flying laps throughout the hour. According to BBC live timing, Hamilton's position on the session timesheet reflected the difficulties he encountered.
Arvid Lindblad was among the first to voice frustration, describing both Hamilton and Antonelli as
stupidfor blocking the track at the high-speed banked Turn 12. The tight confines of the Madring created significant traffic challenges, with Charles Leclerc, Audi's Nico Hulkenberg and Williams' Carlos Sainz all forced to abandon their flying laps when encountering the Mercedes driver.
Sainz was particularly vocal about his incident, stating on team radio:
Lewis letting by in the middle of Turn 12. It's always the same, it's so dangerous! Like it takes zero effort to be two metres more left. Zero effort!
The circuit's demanding nature had raised pre-weekend concerns about disruption levels. A two-day Formula 3 test last month required 19 red flags, prompting questions about whether the inaugural Formula 1 session would prove similarly chaotic. However, all 22 drivers managed to keep their cars out of the barriers throughout the session, with track evolution remaining high as the day progressed.
Mercedes and Ferrari both demonstrated the pace to challenge for victory this weekend, with early indications suggesting a two-team battle will develop. Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson observed that both teams
made it look easy really - which they often doin their approach to the brand new circuit.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who had previously described the Madring as
probably a car killer, finished fifth in the opening session, with McLaren's Lando Norris taking sixth place. Rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed in seventh for Racing Bulls, while Audi showed strong pace through Nico Hulkenberg in ninth and Gabriel Bortoleto in 11th, with Red Bull's Lawson separating them in tenth.
The Madring's signature banked curve, known as La Monumental, has already proven a focal point for both driver feedback and strategic planning. The circuit's 57-lap race distance around the challenging layout means that tyre management and consistency will prove crucial factors throughout the weekend.
Prior experience at the venue proved a significant advantage, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, plus Williams' Carlos Sainz, being the only drivers with any familiarity with the Madrid venue before the weekend began.
What happens next
The second practice session takes place on Friday 11 September at 4:00 pm local time, offering teams a further opportunity to refine their setups and gather data on the Madring's characteristics. Saturday's schedule includes a third practice session at 11:30 am, followed by qualifying at 3:00 pm, with the Spanish Grand Prix itself scheduled for Sunday 13 September at 2:00 pm UK time.
